February 7-13: This week in Memphis history

1950: Among the new merchant licenses listed in The Daily News, Memphis Recording Service at 706 Union Ave. The owner of the recording service was a sound engineer for WREC radio who had decided to branch out into making recordings for whoever hired out his studio or hired him to bring his equipment to their event. His name was Sam Phillips. And he would soon add his own independent record label to the business, Sun Records.

On the front page of The Daily News, Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division was expanding its central shops at Beale and Myrtle streets in a $225,000 project that included a modern paint shop.

1944: County Court Clerk Marvin Pope announced that effective April 1, car owners in the county would pay the same fee for renewal of car tags, but they would get just one license plate for the back of a car instead of two for the front and back. The effort was billed as an effort to save metal for the war effort. The war was making its presence known in other ways. New car tires were also being rationed. And starting that February only drivers holding gas rations good for 601 miles per month could get new tires with exceptions made for “highly essential occupations.” Also, Joy Cayler and her Swinging Coeds – “an all-girl” band – had recently played the Balinese Ballroom at the Hotel Claridge.